Tuesday, July 19, 2016
RUMORS ABOUT CANAL DREDGING, NOTHING FROM THE BOARD TABLE FOR MONTHS, LEADS TO QUESTIONS
RUMORS:
Always in a hushed tone, with a glance checking to confirm privacy, the rumors surrounding the canals are repeated. They are:
*The Water Amenities Committee has sought quotes to dredge.
*The monies from canal lot owners will have to be voluntary.
*Canal lot owners who wish to participate may have to assist in paying for those canal lot owners who won't participate.
*The dredging will begin in November of 2017
WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM THE BOARD TABLE?
Nothing! If you attend board meetings, you know there hasn't been anything from the Water Amenities Committee regarding dredging. Check the official sanitized WPA minutes under Water Amenities Report, for the last year. Nothing.
About six months ago, during the resident comment section of the meeting, a resident asked about the maintenance dredge. She said that the permit that allows a maintenance dredging is about to run out. Legal Chair Garrison piped up and said that there was no interest expressed by the canal lot owners. The resident replied that no one had asked the canal lot owners. Twice later at varying times, it has been stated from the board table that a letter would go out. In the meantime, our very prejudice Legal Chair Garrison, has blatantly stated that the canal lot owners can be assured that there will be a by-law amendment presented for a vote at the 2016 annual meeting that basically says "no WPA funds may be spent on dredging."
Before we move to questions that not only canal lot owners should be thinking about, we have to have a little quick history for new people. The canals have been dredged twice in over a 30 year history. Each time, this association was ripped apart. Lawsuits were brought each time, and SETTLED - NO COURT RULING.
Last time whether you were for, or against dredging, the board laid it all out on the table. The permit was paid for, and all the associated lawsuits, and legal tangle that went on forever, by collections from, and within, the canal lot owner population. It amounted to over $160,000. Go back to the 2009 minutes, which at the time were not sanitized, every word spoken was included in the minutes, and verify what I am about to say for yourself. Briefly, residents were told in open monthly board meetings, and some special open information meetings:
*when the permit was acquired.
*that a loan would be sought
*that canal lot owners would be assessed an individual assessment of $5,000, plus an additional $175/yr for 5 years. All other lot owners would be assessed an additional $175/yr for 5 years.
*Request for bids for engineering, dredging, and oversight were sought, opened, and approved, and voted on at regular meetings.
*Volunteers were sought for non canal lot owners to sit on the canal committee, and dredging funding committee. 1-2 applied, and were accepted.
The point is, that it was all out in the open, and yet we had lawsuits, protest parades, media persons (hidden) in our meetings, and meetings so out of hand, and some times violent, that we had to have paid security officers on site. WHY AFTER ALL OF THAT, WOULD THE BOARD PLAY THIS GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK? That's another article.
Always in a hushed tone, with a glance checking to confirm privacy, the rumors surrounding the canals are repeated. They are:
*The Water Amenities Committee has sought quotes to dredge.
*The monies from canal lot owners will have to be voluntary.
*Canal lot owners who wish to participate may have to assist in paying for those canal lot owners who won't participate.
*The dredging will begin in November of 2017
WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM THE BOARD TABLE?
Nothing! If you attend board meetings, you know there hasn't been anything from the Water Amenities Committee regarding dredging. Check the official sanitized WPA minutes under Water Amenities Report, for the last year. Nothing.
About six months ago, during the resident comment section of the meeting, a resident asked about the maintenance dredge. She said that the permit that allows a maintenance dredging is about to run out. Legal Chair Garrison piped up and said that there was no interest expressed by the canal lot owners. The resident replied that no one had asked the canal lot owners. Twice later at varying times, it has been stated from the board table that a letter would go out. In the meantime, our very prejudice Legal Chair Garrison, has blatantly stated that the canal lot owners can be assured that there will be a by-law amendment presented for a vote at the 2016 annual meeting that basically says "no WPA funds may be spent on dredging."
Before we move to questions that not only canal lot owners should be thinking about, we have to have a little quick history for new people. The canals have been dredged twice in over a 30 year history. Each time, this association was ripped apart. Lawsuits were brought each time, and SETTLED - NO COURT RULING.
Last time whether you were for, or against dredging, the board laid it all out on the table. The permit was paid for, and all the associated lawsuits, and legal tangle that went on forever, by collections from, and within, the canal lot owner population. It amounted to over $160,000. Go back to the 2009 minutes, which at the time were not sanitized, every word spoken was included in the minutes, and verify what I am about to say for yourself. Briefly, residents were told in open monthly board meetings, and some special open information meetings:
*when the permit was acquired.
*that a loan would be sought
*that canal lot owners would be assessed an individual assessment of $5,000, plus an additional $175/yr for 5 years. All other lot owners would be assessed an additional $175/yr for 5 years.
*Request for bids for engineering, dredging, and oversight were sought, opened, and approved, and voted on at regular meetings.
*Volunteers were sought for non canal lot owners to sit on the canal committee, and dredging funding committee. 1-2 applied, and were accepted.
The point is, that it was all out in the open, and yet we had lawsuits, protest parades, media persons (hidden) in our meetings, and meetings so out of hand, and some times violent, that we had to have paid security officers on site. WHY AFTER ALL OF THAT, WOULD THE BOARD PLAY THIS GAME OF HIDE AND SEEK? That's another article.
For purposes of this article, we won't expand in some obvious areas. It is not time yet. We've identified RUMORS, gave a brief history that I've asked you to verify for yourself through unsanitized minutes at the WPA website - year 2009. If the rumors are true, and I believe most of them are, there are some questions that canal lot owners better begin to ask via letters to the board, during resident comments at meetings, etc. More important, it is time to question this board about HOW THEY ARE OPERATING IN GENERAL. Before we begin questions on dredging, I go from this premise. It is time for every resident to be concerned about what we each have in our back yard, and the general condition of Wedgefield. All of the marketable assets of Wedgefield are hanging in the balance TODAY. The golf course is closed, and going to weeds. The canals are silting in, and your board is not disclosing what is going on in the WPA committees. Except for flowers at the front gate (lipstick on a pig?), our board is letting common grounds go because of their own poor vendor selection. Think it doesn't matter? Take a real estate add for any home for sale in Wedgefield, and rewrite it without deep canals, and golf course views, and see what you are left with. Then drive through Wedgefield past overgrown lots, the farmers tractor, numerous boats, trailers, and debris piled in yards, etc., and look at what prospective buyers are seeing. For now, we'll move on to questions about the current RUMORS, and dredging.
QUESTIONS: - Answers to follow in another article.
1)Why is the board and committee being so secretive under any circumstance, let alone this litigious issue?
2)If canal lot owner participation is voluntary, who will invoice and collect the funds?
a) Who would hold those funds, and see that proper accounting, oversight, and payment to contract standards are upheld?
b)What mechanisms would be in place to collect from those who committed, and didn't pay?
3) Who would see that there was proper engineering, and oversight of the technical aspects of the dredging?
4) What rights would lot owners who participated have to records review - financial, and contractual?
5) What entity would be responsible for development of requests for proposal, contract development, and oversight?
6) What reporting mechanisms would we have?
7) What grievance process would be in place, and who would answer, if there was individual complaint, and concern?
These are just a few of the questions. How could we ever trust this kind of project to a non legal entity, when the players - board members, have been silent, failed to uphold our governing documents, etc., for the WPA? I don't like rumors, but that is what our board has left us with. You might ask why I would rely on rumors. I believe most of it is true. I myself, heard a sitting board member from the canal committee, tell a resident that the committee was getting bids. Why didn't he answer from the board table when the resident noted above, asked about the maintenance dredge, at the end of the meeting? Why didn't he speak up when Legal Chair Garrison said that there was no interest on the part of the canal lot owners? Why did Legal Chair Garrison say that when I'm told that he sits on the Water Amenities Committee?
More to follow. The overall actions of this board turns my stomach. Wedge field, my home, and my community is being spoiled by the disgusting, intestinal like twists, and turns of this board.
QUESTIONS: - Answers to follow in another article.
1)Why is the board and committee being so secretive under any circumstance, let alone this litigious issue?
2)If canal lot owner participation is voluntary, who will invoice and collect the funds?
a) Who would hold those funds, and see that proper accounting, oversight, and payment to contract standards are upheld?
b)What mechanisms would be in place to collect from those who committed, and didn't pay?
3) Who would see that there was proper engineering, and oversight of the technical aspects of the dredging?
4) What rights would lot owners who participated have to records review - financial, and contractual?
5) What entity would be responsible for development of requests for proposal, contract development, and oversight?
6) What reporting mechanisms would we have?
7) What grievance process would be in place, and who would answer, if there was individual complaint, and concern?
These are just a few of the questions. How could we ever trust this kind of project to a non legal entity, when the players - board members, have been silent, failed to uphold our governing documents, etc., for the WPA? I don't like rumors, but that is what our board has left us with. You might ask why I would rely on rumors. I believe most of it is true. I myself, heard a sitting board member from the canal committee, tell a resident that the committee was getting bids. Why didn't he answer from the board table when the resident noted above, asked about the maintenance dredge, at the end of the meeting? Why didn't he speak up when Legal Chair Garrison said that there was no interest on the part of the canal lot owners? Why did Legal Chair Garrison say that when I'm told that he sits on the Water Amenities Committee?
More to follow. The overall actions of this board turns my stomach. Wedge field, my home, and my community is being spoiled by the disgusting, intestinal like twists, and turns of this board.
Monday, July 18, 2016
RESIDENT ON SEVEN MONTH JOURNEY TO REMOVE SHED, REQUESTS THAT THE BOARD RECONSIDER THEIR DECISION, AND "DO THE RIGHT THING".
This resident has sent a copy of his recent letter to the board, to The Wedgefield Examiner. As always, I've removed their name. In my not so humble opinion, this board has lied, covered up, and failed to follow our governing documents, and at times their own individual words. Basically, they've jerked this resident around. Never smart in any scenario, but in the case of this tenacious resident, who will put the time in to research, write, stand up at meetings under ridicule from this board, and persevere. There are to few of us left.
HERE'S THE LETTER:
Please note: the letter refers to attachments. Many appear in another article. I'll drop a few in, but not all.
HERE'S THE LETTER:
Please note: the letter refers to attachments. Many appear in another article. I'll drop a few in, but not all.
POLICY MANUAL INFO REGARDING SHEDS:
-
4.02.17 Service, Utility, and Storage Areas: All areas of this type must be properly concealed
or screened from view.
-
4.02.18 Storage Sheds: All sheds will be held to the following restrictions:
Maximum external area may not exceed 180 square feet provided:
-
Total square footage may not exceed .6 % of total lot size. Example: 20,000
sq. ft. lot may be permitted a 120 sq. ft. shed.
-
No length or width may exceed 16 feet as measured to the exterior of shed.
-
The maximum height of 12 ’to be measured from grade to the top of the roof.
(Rev. 10/20/15)
-
Color of siding and roof to blend with the house colors.
-
Should be placed as close to the house as possible to avoid blocking neighbors
view and/or creating an eyesore for the neighbors.
-
May be fenced in but fencing should blend in with the house colors.
-
Total square footage may not exceed .6 % of total lot size. Example: 20,000
sq. ft. lot may be permitted a 120 sq. ft. shed.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
JULY 17TH, WE POSTED A NEW ARTICLE. COMING UP NEXT: THERE ARE TOO MANY CONSISTENT CANAL DREDGING RUMORS TO IGNORE POSTING. WE'LL STATE THEM AS RUMORS, AND ASK QUESTIONS!
Why do we have to resort to rumors? Answer: Your board keeps too many secrets, hides their management of our affairs, and often serve in the best interests of their individual agendas, cultch of power, rather than the best interests of Wedgefield. The golf course is falling apart - closed, and heading to fields of over growth, and weeds. The canals are being threatened with silting, and "a no funds from WPA monies", headed with the blessings of our legal chair, to the by-laws. Overall maintenance standards for the common areas, and individual lots are being ignored. Do yourself a favor, and take a ride through every section of Wedgefield, read the real estate adds that speak to assets like golf course, and DEEP canals, and see if you want to continue to be a sheep, in the herd that listens to this board. It is almost election time.
PS: Do you know what happens to sheep who blindly follow? They are fleeced (sheared regularly), and then lead to slaughter. You have had brain washing & cover up - fleecing, from this board for a long time, and the value to your homes is on it's way to slaughter. Will you run for office? Will you challenge the board by attending meetings, and standing up to speak during resident comments? You don't get any respect - laughter and snide remarks, but it might be worth it. STAY TUNED FOR THE ARTICLE!
PS: Do you know what happens to sheep who blindly follow? They are fleeced (sheared regularly), and then lead to slaughter. You have had brain washing & cover up - fleecing, from this board for a long time, and the value to your homes is on it's way to slaughter. Will you run for office? Will you challenge the board by attending meetings, and standing up to speak during resident comments? You don't get any respect - laughter and snide remarks, but it might be worth it. STAY TUNED FOR THE ARTICLE!
THE WEDGEFIELD EXAMINER SHARES A RESIDENT LETTER TO THE BOARD. YOUR WPA PRESIDENT, AND BOARD CONTINUES TO BE NEGLIGENT IN CARRYING OUT THEIR DUTIES, AND FOLLOWING THE STANDARDS OF OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS! YOUR PRESIDENT HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF NAMING COMMITTEE CHAIRS. HE HAS LEFT THIS INCOMPETENT GROUNDS CHAIR IN PLACE FOR TOO LONG. THE WORST PART IS THAT ONCE AGAIN YOUR ENTIRE BOARD SAT BY, FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATION OF THIS INCOMPETENT GROUNDS CHAIR, AND NOT ONLY RENEWED THIS CONTRACT, BUT GAVE THE VENDOR A RAISE! WHAT IS WORSE IF YOUR PRESIDENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THE CONTRACTOR AS THE CONDO ASSOCIATIONS VENDOR! WEDGE FIELD WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS CREW!
LOT MAINTENANCE COMPLAINT
cc wedgefieldexaminerthe@yahoo.com
Please distribute to the board, and place a copy in the file.
Board,
The vacant lot next to me is a complete mess, and has been for the last two years. I believe that the lot owner is a member who has in good faith, contracted with the WPA to provide lot mowing services. Last year, this lot was mowed ONCE in our lengthy growing season! To date, this year it has only been mowed ONCE! I've included pictures. There are weeds that have reached 5 1/2 feet! There are new sapling trees in the middle of the lot that have reached 3 1/2 feet since the last mowing! Soon, it will be a treed lot! The over all growth has reached 1 - 1 1/2 feet.
The lot owner has always done the right thing. At times, I have talked to him, and we have shared projects on the lot. I have poisoned a foot out from my flower beds, had our lawn maintenance group mow, and weed wack a line out into the lot from my yard in another attempt to keep the weed, snake, and general pest invasion from my yard. I want something done.
I talked to another resident, who has a vacant lot across the street from their hone. It has only been mowed once this year. When he observed (WPA contractor name) mowing it, they didn't over lap with the mower, and they were left with tall grass rows throughout the lot, even with mowing! It was a poor job under any circumstance, let alone for what appears to be the only mowing of the season.
Why does our board continue to contract with this crew? Why does the board allow our Grounds Chair to hold this position, when we get this kind of result year after year, with his maintenance contractor procurement, contract development, and contract management? Why did our board vote to renew this contract? I was at the meeting the vote took place for this year. The Grounds Chair stated himself, that they hadn't completed all the work the year before, and that FINALLY they knew who the boss was! You all voted YES! Yet, our board president, who sits on condo boards, knew that the condo board was in the process of preparing to fire this crew. You all not only voted yes, YOU GAVE THEM A RAISE!
Please respond, and notify me when this problem will be corrected.
These weeds measure 5 1/2 feet, and are all over the lot.
Trees like this have seeded themselves, and grown to 3 - 3 1/2 ft. since the last mowing
This matted undergrowth measures between 1 -1/2 feet, and is infested with snakes, and all kinds of critters, and bugs.
Friday, July 8, 2016
A CONCERNED, FAIRLY NEW WEDGEFIELD GOLF COURSE LOT HOMEOWNER, ASKED THE BOARD WHETHER THEY WOULD BE CALLING RESIDENT MEETINGS REGARDING THE GOLF COURSE CLOSING, YOUR BOARD SAID THAT WE DIDN'T OWN IT. WHEN THE RESIDENT WENT ON TO SAY HOW BAD IT LOOKED FOR EVERYONE ENTERING, AND LIVING ON THE GOLF COURSE TO VIEW THE OVER GROWN COURSE, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID TO GET A GOAT. THE WEDGEFIELD EXAMINER FOUND THAT BOARD MEMBER'S RESPONSE TO BE A LACK OF GENUINE THOUGHT, OR CONCERN FOR THE HUGE PROBLEM EVERYONE IN WEDGEFIELD FACES. IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE LEFT WITH NO SERIOUS CONCERN BY OUR BOARD, AND THIS RIDICULOUS SOLUTION. REAL FUNNY BOARD. HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES. IS THIS THE ONLY OPTION WE ARE LEFT WITH? PERHAPS OUR GROUNDS CHAIR WILL OFFER THE SAME SOLUTION FOR ALL THE UNMOWED LOTS HE CONTROLS! MEET THE GOATS!
Meet the eight goats cleaning up Prospect Park
Eight lucky goats have a dream job: eating for a living.
On Monday, the herd will make their debut at Prospect Park, where they will spend the summer munching on invasive plants — such as poison ivy and English ivy — that have overwhelmed the Vale of Cashmere.
One of Brooklyn’s last remaining forests, the vale was heavily damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
The goats are owned by Larry and Anna Cihanek of Rhinebeck, NY. The couple currently house 170 goats on their property — all of which were donated from area dairy farms and petting zoos after a devastating fire killed 100 of the Cihaneks’ horned creatures last year. They’ve previously rented their goats out for grazing at Pelham Bay Park and Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. For their goats’ work this summer, they’re being paid $15,000 by the Prospect Park Alliance.
Leading the herd is Zoya, a bossy 9-year-old who survived a mountain lion attack a few years back. She’s joined by Olivia, her daughter, and Max and Charlie Brown, a frisky pair of brothers.
“[Charlie Brown’s] always trying to eat my hair. He’s a hot mess, but he’s the sweetest,” says Anna of the Oberhasli breed goat.
There’s also Diego, who hails from a dairy farm in Maine and whom Anna describes as a “loner who does his own thing.”
The “naughtiest” of the bunch is Raptor, a LaMancha goat with short ears who likes to eat breath mints. Rounding out the group is Skittles, a male Alpine goat, and Reese, a female pygmy. “I chose different breeds that would be visually interesting and represent the breeds that we have,” says Anna.
The goats will be penned in behind an 8-foot-tall fence near the Zucker Natural Exploration Area. Park staff will check on the goats during the day and provide water, but feeding them isn’t necessary, as it would actually interfere with their job. And while there’s no shelter for them to sleep in, the trees in the park provide plenty of cover.
But parkgoers, be warned: Petting the goats is strictly forbidden, as poison ivy oil will rub off on them as they graze through weeds. Fans can instead watch them from the other side of the fence, and the park will be hosting a “bleat-and-greet” on May 22 that will include a free goat milk ice cream-making session.
The Cihaneks are thrilled their goats were selected for Prospect Park, and feel it will benefit both the animals and park visitors.
“We’ve had people who didn’t even know what animals they were,” says Anna with a laugh.
“These goats have spent most of their lives in a barn waiting to be milked; that was their purpose. So I’m excited that the goats get to be goats. They get to graze and be in nature as intended.”
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